Why I Didn’t Tie Rakhi from My Sister

I didn’t tie Rakhi from my sister this year, and it’s a question that cuts deeper than most people realize. Raksha Bandhan is supposed to be a day where siblings celebrate their bond, a bond of love, trust, and protection. But what happens when that bond has been shattered, repeatedly, over the years?,

For as long as I can remember, my sister has been a source of pain and turmoil in my life. She’s supposed to be the elder one, the one who supports and guides me, but instead, she’s done everything she could to tear me down. From sabotaging my efforts to trash-talking me to our parents, her actions have been nothing but venomous. She’s never been able to see me happy without trying to undermine it. The hurtful words, the constant manipulation, and her sheer indifference to my feelings have left deep scars.

Even now, after I’ve distanced myself from her for the sake of my own sanity, she continues to badmouth me and our father. She does nothing but sit around all day, glued to her phone, yet she carries this entitled belief that she’s always right and everyone else is wrong. The thought of participating in a ritual that symbolizes a bond of protection and love feels hypocritical when those very elements are missing from our relationship.

Choosing not to tie Rakhi from her wasn’t an easy decision, but it was a necessary one. I’ve come to realize that sometimes, self-preservation means stepping away from traditions that no longer hold meaning. Raksha Bandhan is about celebrating a relationship of mutual respect and care, and when that’s been eroded over years of toxicity, the ritual becomes hollow.

I wish things were different. I wish I could say that we share a bond worth celebrating. But the reality is, our relationship has caused me more pain than joy, and until that changes, I can’t participate in a tradition that doesn’t reflect the truth of what we are